Vending machine



April 30, 1935. s N. HOPE ET AL 1,999,238

7 VENDING'MACHINE Filed July 19, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet l W/ TN E5 S ES X 5 Maw April! W, 1935. s. N. HOPE ET AL. 9 3

- v I VENDINGTMACHINE I Filed-July 19, 1953 '4 Sheets-Shet '2 WITNESS S April 3U, 1935.

S. N. HOPE ET AL VENDING MACHINE Filed July 19, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 o 5 9 Z 9 9 8 i (a Z a J w 92 9 Q m w w H #n\fl v m /i Z 9 Z3 INVENTORS WITNESS S W 1935- s. N. HOPE ET AL 11,999,238

VENDING MACHINE EIIII WI NEssELs I g fil 4 b. x/d/Vu.

Patented Apr. 3%, 1935 1 entree-stares earl-ear cl r cs VENDHNG MACHINE Samuel N. Hope, Wauwatesa, and Paul 'Drath, 'Wcst Allis, Wis, assigncrs to Griffith-Hope Company, West Allis, Wis, a corporation of Vilisconsin Application .iuly 19, 1933, Serial No. 681,118.

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The invention relates to article-dispensing de- The device shown in thedrawings is adapted vices and more particularly to vending machines. for use, in restaurants, and provision is made for. An object of the invention is to provide a dudispensing napkins N, and also for dispensing able and compact vending machine adapted for other articles, such as sticks of chewing gum G.

dispensing sticks of gum or other articles, the The dispensing of the latter articles is efiected 5 construction being such as to permit economical by coin or check-controlled mechanism hereinmanufacture and to prevent unauthorized reafter described. moval of the articles. An upright channel-shaped sheet metal frame vAnother object of the invention is to perfect 23 is mounted within the casing and has a web details of construction generally. 29 and opposite parallel side flanges 30, which 10 The invention further consists-in the several latter are spaced inwardly from the side walls l5 features hereinafter described and claimed. of the casing. The front edges of the flanges 39 In the accompanying drawings, lie adjacent the inner edges of the inturned Fig. 1 is a front elevation of avending machine casing-flanges 23; The web 29 has a base flange embodying the invention; 3i which is secured by one or more rivets 32 to 15 2 is a sectional. elevation taken generally the bottom ill, and the side flanges 39 have realong the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; a spective embossments 33 at their lower front Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the vending 'ma corners securedto the inner faces'of the bottom chine; V i flanges l8 by a pair of the rivets it, as best seen 20. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation taken generally in Figs. 2 and 8.

along the line 4l-i of Fig. 1, the operating parts The web 29 of the channel frame 28 is spaced being in retracted position; 7 inwardlyfrom the flanges 22, 2 3 and 26 to form Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation taken generally a compartment for the napkins N. These along the line 55 of Fig 1, the operating parts flanges, which are outwardly curved as seen in 25. being in advanced position ready to release the Figs. 2 and :3, retain the napkins at their edge coin; portions against the pressure of a follower-plate 6 isa sectional view taken generally along (it urged outwardly by a bowed leaf spring 35 the line 5-6 of Fig'l; having a reaction abutment on the web 29 of Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken generally along the channel frame 28. The follower plate prefthe line 5-? of Fig. 1; erably has an embossment as to arch the nap- 30 Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation taken generally kins and thus facilitate their withdrawal along the line 8 8 of Fig. 6; through the dispensing opening defined by the Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. but showing edges of t e flanges and l the operating parts in a partially retracted posi- An uprig t a ap d um a a 3 than after incomplete operation; of sheet metal is mounted Within the channel 35 F 10 is a 50p plan e of guard member) frame 28 and has a web 38 parallel to and spaced for the article-delivery passage, d forwardly from the channel frame web as. The Fig. 11 is a detail sectional view or a cover for pp s t s d fla s 39 of t ma a n ar p rthe article magazine. allel to and spaced inwardly from the side flanges 40 In these drawings, a rectangular casing is con 39 of the channel frame and are secured thereto 40 structed of two sheet metal parts suitably bent by rivets it wh ch p s hr h abutting embossto shape, one of which is of inverted U-shape to ments ii d 42 formed sp v y n the form pawn-e1 side Walls 55 and a 130p Wall {5 and frame flanges and magazine flanges. The side the other of which formsabottorn 5'? having upflanges 39 0f the magazine a pr v d d alone 4.5 turned side flanges 8 secured by rivets Hi to their front edges with interned lips 43 a ed 45 the inner races of the side walls it. Card holdd w wa dly m the pp d f the ma azine ers Eli are here shown to be secured to the outer facilitate a faces of the side walls E5. The opposite edge por- The pp end of the magazine is Closed While ticns of the upper sheetinetal part are bent to the l w n is p and is p d a short disform inturned top flanges 2i and 22 andinturned tance above a sheet metal platform 44. Down- 50 side flanges 23 and 2d, and the opposite'ends-of wardly projecting ears ill are formed on the the bottom ll have upturned flanges and 28. lower edges of the magazine side walls 3% to fit The corner portions of the bottom ll are preferin apertures iii formed in the platform. The ably cut away, as seen in Fig. '2. Rubber feet 2? platform has a down-turned front flange '45 are fastened to the bottom 1?. substantially flush with the casing flanges 23. 55

Down-turned side ears 36 on the platform are secured by rivets G1 to the side flanges 35 of the channel frame 28, and a down-turned rear flange 48 is secured to the web 29 of the channel frame 'by one or morerivets 49.

A stack of gum sticks G in the magazine 3'! is supported on the platform l i and is surmounted by a hollow sheet metal follower 5d of rectangular cross-"section loosely fitting in the magazine against relative rotation to prevent disarrangement of the gum sticks when the casing is tilted, as during the operation of loading napkins. The front face of the follower may bear a suitable advertising legend. The follower may be removed from the magazine during the loading operation.

The front of the casing adjacent the gum magazine is closed by a removable sheet metal cover or front plate 5i having a suitable keyoperated lock 52 at its upper end with a bolt engageable behind the upper casing flange 2!. The lower edge of the cover'is spaced from the platform id to form a delivery slot 53. At its opposite lower corners, the cover is provided with reanvardly and downwardly projecting ears 54- (Fig. 11) to rest on the platform i l, the ears having downwardly projecting lugs .55 entering notches 56 formed'in the platform (Fig. 7). The cover has an inspection opening 5? defined by an inturned lip 58. A gasket 59 surrounds the opening at the inner face of thecover and has a glass plate 6i bearing thereagainst and retained by flanged side tracks 6i secured to the inner'face of the cover, the lower ends of the track flangesbeing bent to form stops. The lower edge of the cover has an inturned flange S2.

A coin drawerflt is slidably mounted in. the casing below the platform 34 and has a key-operated lock Min its front wall with a bolt engageable behind the down-turned'front flange 45 of the platform. The drawer slidably rests on paralel rails ll formed on the bottom ll.

The platform M slidably supportsthereon an ejector or feeder in the form of a horizontal plate confined against upward movement by rearwardly projecting flanges 68 .on the bottom of the rear wall 38 of the gum magazine. The ejector has lugs 6? at opposite ends (Fig. 7) extending through horizontal slots 58 formed in the side flanges 36 of the frame 28. The front edges of the lugs t? have notches 69 to receive the upwardly projecting arms of wire springs ll],

each spring having an intermediate portion coiled about a headed pin TH secured to the side flange 36 and having a rearwardly projecting arm anchored in a notch '62 (Fig. 2) formed in the lower edge of the side flange. The bottom flanges l8. have notches E8 to provide clearance for the pins H. The springs l8 urge the ejector rearwardly against the frame wall 2Q, out of register with the lower end of the gum magazine. The follower 59 .in the gum magazine has a beveled lower rear corner 58 so as to be lifted by the advancing ejector when the magazine is empty, thus avoiding blocking of the ejector.

The upper casing wall N5 has formed therein a coin slot 13 which registers with a coin chute carried on the gum magazine and consisting of angles 74 spot welded or otherwise secured to the rear wall 38 of the magazine and having spaced parallel chute-forming flanges joined by spot welded connections at their rear edges to an interposed vertical strip i5. Another slot 18 isformed in the upper casing wall 56 at rightangles to. the coin slot 13, and receives therethrough a plunger ll formed of a flat metal bar having a laterally bent finger rest T8 at its upper' end. The plunger is slidably mounted for vertical movement in a guideway formed between the front face of the frame web 29 and a channeled sheet metal strap 19 secured to this face, as by spot welding, the strap having locating lugs passing through openings in the frame web.

The lower end of the plunger ll has a bent hook or loop 8| which abuts against the upper surface of a coin-driving member 82 formed of sheet metal and having parallel ears 33 at opposite ends pivotally mounted on aligned pins 84 secured to embossments 85 formed on the side walls or flanges 3:; of the frame 28. The embossments extend downwardly to the slots 58 and form the upper edges of these slots. The central part of the upper wall of the coin-driving member 3'2 is cut away .to provide clearance for the coin chute i l, 15, as seen in Fig. 6, the coin chute having a converging lower end extending below the member 82. is urged. upwardly by a tensioned coiled spring 35 having its lower end secured thereto andhaving its upper end anchored to a lug 81 on the plunger guide or strap T9. The spring-urged coin-driving member lifts with it the plunger 1l, the loop 8! on the plunger striking the lower edge of the strap to limit the upward movement of the plunger andcoin-driving member.

Theejector E5 is displaceable forwardly by a rocker frame consisting of a pair of side arms 88 joined by a coin-engaging cross plate 89. The upper ends of the arms are pivotally mounted on the pins fi l, and the lower ends are curved and bear innotches 953 (Fig. 7) formed in the rear edges of the lugs 61 on the ejector 65, thus preventing endwise displacement of the ejector.

A coin guide or chute is mounted on the rear wall 29 of the frame 28 in alignment with the chute M, 5 to receive the coins at the lower portion of their travel, and consists of a pair of angles 9! secured as by spot welding to the wall 2% and having spaced parallel flanges formmg a com passage.

2 is secured between the parallel flanges and. adjacent the wall 29 to effect the downward release of the coins after reaching a certain point in their travel. Below the lower coin guide, the

ejector 55 and platform l'arepprovided with respective openings 93 and 94 to permit released coins to drop into the coin drawer 63.

In order to prevent repeated operation of the coin ejector by a single coin or check, means are provided to prevent a complete stroke of the plunger Ti unless an introduced coin is released into the coin drawer. An angle bracket 95 is secured to the rear wall 29 of the frame 28 and has a forwardly projecting flange adjacent the coin chute id, '75. A bell-crank $6 is pivotally secured to the bracket flange by a rivet 91 and has a downwardly projecting stop-formingarm which is urged forwardly by a coiled spring 98 attached to the bracket. arnr on the bell-crank is urged downwardly by a coiled spring 99 secured at its lower end, to the cross plate 85 of the ejector-displacing arms 88. The downwardly projecting bell-crank arm is -movable rearwardly into the path of the plunger loop 8! to prevent a complete upward stroke of the plunger unless an introduced coin is passed in the coin drawer, as hereinafter described.

A guard we of sheet metal has a body portion below the platform Ad and provided with trunnions ill! at opposite side edges rockably sup- The coin-driving member A cam'track or abutment A shorter forwardly projecting p 05- all) ported in ears iilii projecting downwardly from the platform. At its front portion the guard has a pair of upstanding flanges 253 which pass through slots its in the front portion of the platfor 1 look the delivery passage 53. At its rear portion the guard has pair of upwardly bent side f r whicl'i'are nicvablethrough openings 5% formed in the platform and bear against the bottom surface of the e ector E5 when the latter racted pos tion, thus holding the stop flanges in their upper blocking positions to prevent withdrawal of um sticks. The guard ti t is also urged to such posi'lon by one or more leaf springs till secured at their front ends to the upper surface of the guard by rivets liiii and bearing their rear ends against the bottom surface of the platform i t rearwardly of the trunnions Elli. The blocking movement of the guard lite limited by the abutment of the front portion of the guard against the bottom surface of the platform. The guard carries upstanding cam projections at opposite side edges forwardly of the trunnions i iii and movable through slots lit formed in the platform 64. The cam projections its are depressed by the notched front edge of the ejector as the ejector is moved on an advancing stroke, thus rocking the guard and moving front flanges 5% thereon downwardly to unblock the delivery passage 53 for the discharge of a stick of gum. The ejector 65 has parallel slots iii therein spaced from the front edge of the plate to permit the cam projections 99 to rise therein after the stick. of gum is removed and while the plate is advanced, thus discouraging tampering.

In operation, a coin C is introduced into the coin slot iii in the top wall it of the casing and drops through the chute it, it to the position seen in Fig. 4, where it rests on edge on the cross plate 88 of the ejector arms 38 and on the upper portion of the cam track of the lower guide or chute. The plunger 'll' isthen depressed by the finger to rock the coin-driving member 82 downwardly against the action of the spring 83. The member 82 pushes the coin downwardly and forwardly along the cam track 92, and the descending coin pushes the cross plate s forwardly, as seen in Fig. 5, to swing the ejector arms 38 forwardly. The ejector E5 is thus advanced along the platform and in the first part of its movement depresses the cam projections it on the guard to swing the latter to unblocking position, the rear guard fingers Hi5 being free to rise behind the advancing ejector. The ejector in its further movement pushes the lowermost stick of gum through the delivery opening 53 in position either to fall out or to readily be withdrawn by the fingers. The plunger '2'? is depressed further from the passing position shown in Fig. 5 to cause the coin to move over the hump of the cam track 92 and to drop into the coin drawer whereupon the ejector is moved by the springs it to its retracted'position, the arms as being also movable rearwardly with the ejector. The plunger II is thereupon released to the elevated position of Fig. 4. As soon as the ejector is retracted, the stack of gum sticks G drops to the platform 44 in readiness for another operation. I

If the plunger is released from the position of Fig. 5 in an attempt to effect repeated operation with a single coin, the coin will not drop to the coin drawer but will rise a short distance along the cam track 92 under the urge of the spring-pressed ejector. The upward movement of the plunger is limited, however, by the bell-crank 98,'as seen in Fig. 9, which is urged to stopping position by the spring attached to the cross plate of the ejector arms lg the retraction of the ejector and preventing its withdrawal from beneath thestack of gum sticks, so as to prevent unauthori ed removal of the articles. In this condition ofthe device the flanges 63 of the guard i are in their clocking delivery pass ge operation of the device into the con the tens n on the spring d the complete retraction of the wh reupon the spring moves 35 out of position to release of the plunger to its Fig. 1

In assembling the devi e, the gum magazine 3'5 11 its attached coin chute is fastened to the fra no by the rivets and the frame 23 is attached to the bottom 5? by the rivet The upper casing member to, it is then mounted in place, pair of the rivets it securing together the frame the bottom flanges it and the side walls i i.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a dispenser, the combination of articledelivery means including an article support and a delivery passage, a reciprocatory ejector plate for moving an article on said support into said delivery passage, and a guard having a body portion pivotally mounted below said support and having a part for blocking said passage and another part projecting upwardly to the plane of said ejector plate and engageable with the retracted ejector plate to hold the guard in blocking position, said guard having a projection extending upwardly to the plane of said ejector plate and engageable by the advancing ejector plate to swing said guard out of blocking position.

2. In a dispenser, the combination of a sheet metal casing bottom having upturned opposite side flanges, sheet metal casing side walls lapping the outer faoesof said flanges, a sheet metal frame between said side walls having a rear wall secured to said bottom and having opposite side walls lapping the inner faces of said flanges, each flange being interposed between casing side wall and a frame side wall, fastening means connccting together in common said casing side walls and frame side walls and interposed upturned flanges of the bottom, and article delivery means carried by said frame.

3. In a dispenser, the combination of articledelivery means-having an article support and a delivery passage, a reciprocatory ejector for moving an article from said support into said delivery passage, and a guard pivotally mounted at an intermediate portion below said support and having upwardly bent portions at opposite ends, one of which is for blocking said passage and the other of which is engageable with the retracted ejector to hold the guard blocking position, said last-named projecting portion being free to rise when the ejector advances to thereby permit swinging movement of the guard out of blocking position.

e. In a dispenser, the combination of article" delivery means having an article support and a delivery passage, a reciprocatory ejector for moving an article f om said support into said delivery passage, and a movable guard for blocking said passage and retained in blocking position by the retracted ejector, said guard having a connection with said ejector for moving said Oil guard out of blocking position by the first part of the advance of the ejector and permitting said guard to return to blocking position during the further advance of the ejector after the departure of the article from the delivery passage.

5 In a dispenser, the combination of a frame having opposite side walls and having an article magazine between said side walls; an article platform extending between said side walls and secured thereto, said side walls having apertures adjacent said platform, an ejector supported on said platform and having opposite end portions extending through said apertures, and ejectoradvancing arms swingably supported by said side walls adjacent the inner faces of said walls and above said ejector, said arms having lower end portions projecting through said apertures and engaging said end portions of the ejector.

6. In a dispenser, the combination of a casing having opposite side Walls, a sheet metal frame within said casing having side Walls, an article magazine between said side walls, a sheet metal article platform extending between said frame side walls above the lower edges of said walls and having marginal flanges secured to said side Walls, said platform having a down-turned front flange forming a part of the casing front wall, and a removable front panel supported by said platform and having a portion spaced above said platform to form an article-delivery passage.

' SAMUEL N. HOPE.

PAUL DEATH. 

